Monday, December 2, 2013

Lunatics

Yes, true story-the birth of photography involved a group of men who met and broke boundaries in both religion and class.  The met on the first Monday nearest the full moon and called themselves Lunar Men-a group of inventors, scientists, and freethinkers.   In good humor they nicknamed themselves the 'Lunaticks'. One of them was Charles Darwin's grandfather.  Here is my next attempt at a Black n' White poem and a roundel.
   I have struggled lately with my writing.
 I wasn't pleased with the my earlier offerings-so try, try again.



BEWITCHING BOX


Bewitching box steals sails of shadowed night   
floating imagine of silver wings reveals    
fortune exposed by pale moon light  
bewitching box steals 

Night's album lifts light-does soul squeal? 
Mystic obscura paints in black n' white    
Nuns alert priest to instill prayer wheel     

Priest mumbles Franklin's key n' kite   
will pray for Lunatics' dark ideals   
goes to the heavenly peek show in spite 

bewitching box steals 

© Ellen Wilson











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38 comments:

  1. Sherry Blue SkyDecember 2, 2013 at 9:48 AM

    Interesting background, Ellie. Neat group of people, it sounds like. I love "bewitching box steals". I have known people to refuse photos because "they steal my soul".

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    1. EllaDecember 3, 2013 at 4:06 PM

      I know a lot of tribes feel this way, especially when some human violate their privacy with their gadgets! Thank you~ I did have fun!

      Delete
  2. Sumana RoyDecember 2, 2013 at 10:00 AM

    love the lunar men, the nun's priest's tale...and the bewitching box's magic..

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    1. EllaDecember 3, 2013 at 4:07 PM

      Hi Sumana, thank you so much! I would love to see what they thought of today's world ;D

      Delete
  3. MargaretDecember 2, 2013 at 11:57 AM

    Wow - what would they think of the smart phone and instant imagery today? Fascinating!

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    1. EllaDecember 3, 2013 at 4:08 PM

      Hi Margaret, I know right...how fun to imagine them seeing the future!
      Thank you~

      Delete
  4. AnonymousDecember 2, 2013 at 12:51 PM

    I love it! How fun it would be to watch that conversation and truly witness the birth of the camera.

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    1. EllaDecember 3, 2013 at 4:45 PM

      How illuminating it would be-lol! Sorry, I couldn't resist ;D
      Thank you so much~

      Delete
  5. AnonymousDecember 2, 2013 at 1:16 PM

    Great idea. Great poem. "does soul squeal?".... Creepy to think of.

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    1. EllaDecember 6, 2013 at 5:48 AM

      Hello! I love your name-this may be my middle name-lol. Very clever of you~ I know right-souls sucked into a tiny box waiting to get out...
      Thank you!

      Delete
  6. UnknownDecember 2, 2013 at 2:27 PM

    "bewitching box steals " How about this is brilliant! I love this line. How the photo can be thought to steal the soul. Also with them being "lunatics" in their inventing. Awesome job. I love the feel of this poem too. I can see the night, the black and white. :)

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    1. EllaDecember 6, 2013 at 6:02 AM

      Hi Rachelle, Thank you so much~
      They named themselves this and I love it! In the book it said Lunaticks-lol
      They were brilliant and funny~ You are fun! Thank you~

      Delete
  7. Susie ClevengerDecember 2, 2013 at 4:06 PM

    Amazing creativity of such a unique group of men...Love how you captured photography's beginnings in your words....I too have struggled lately with writing.

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    1. EllaDecember 6, 2013 at 6:03 AM

      I know right! I am intrigued by the book. Every time I look at it-I find something else which inspires me~ Thank you Susie!
      You are not alone...

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  8. Brian MillerDecember 2, 2013 at 4:56 PM

    ah i am understanding the other poem a bit more now...the lunar men...quite interesting...will have to check out that book...there are people that still believe photos steal your soul...

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    1. EllaDecember 2, 2013 at 8:36 PM

      Hi Brian, yes I thought I would give it another attempt! I know-crazy but true. I have seen documentaries where photos were not allowed for this very fact~

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  9. revelationsDecember 2, 2013 at 5:14 PM

    this was like stepping back in time... enjoyed much....

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  10. kaykualaDecember 2, 2013 at 11:05 PM

    Very interesting, Ella! A page from history. I can well understand what they would have to go through giving out something extraordinary. A wonderful roundel ( I've not even tried one) Great!

    Hank

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    1. EllaDecember 3, 2013 at 7:38 AM

      Hi Hank,
      Yes, can you imagine those moonlit meetings-how mysterious! I loved the nickname they gave themselves! They were brilliant with good humor~
      Yes, try one.... Thank you~

      Delete
  11. AnonymousDecember 3, 2013 at 1:28 AM

    Bewitching indeed ... a great theme and luminous with possibilities. You obviously had fun with it. Wondering if the strict rhyme and meter made the box more difficult to tinker with. Its really hard to do the most creative things in those corsets. I'm all for those "lunatics dark deals." - Brendan

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    1. EllaDecember 3, 2013 at 7:22 AM

      Hi Brendan,
      I did have fun~ You should write about the creative endeavors in corsets-now that would be "difficult to tinker with"-lol! Thank you so much~

      Delete
  12. Yolanda RenéeDecember 3, 2013 at 5:52 AM

    Soulless lunatics the creators of magic! LOL Now we are open to almost any idea even drone package delivery - soon we'll all have out own laser weapons to secure the air space around our homes.
    Enjoyed your poem. Hope your muse returns with many lovely gifts!

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    1. EllaDecember 3, 2013 at 7:20 AM

      I saw that drone delivery..kinda freaked me out! My husband said for sure we are moving to the blueberry fields in Maine. He doesn't want any drone gathering his likes and dislikes....yikes! YOU are funny, but it is scary to really think about.... Thank you! I hope you are doing well and Congrats on NaNo...I dream of doing it next year. This year would of been a joke.

      Delete
  13. Maude LynnDecember 3, 2013 at 8:55 AM

    I went through all of my junior high years without having a school photo taken because I claimed that it would steal my soul and violate my rights to religious freedom. Yeah, I was kind of a smart-ass . . .

    I adore that last full stanza. Very cool.

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    1. EllaDecember 3, 2013 at 4:04 PM

      lol! Hey, you made up for it being in a band-tons of photos then! ;D

      Thank you!

      Delete
  14. MarianDecember 3, 2013 at 9:34 AM

    mystic obscura! love this.

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    1. EllaDecember 3, 2013 at 4:03 PM

      Hi Marian, yes, I loved the word-it was in the book. I only peeked, but discovered a lot-it is fascinating~ Thank you!

      Delete
  15. AnonymousDecember 3, 2013 at 11:38 AM

    didn't know the origins - cool to learn. Liked the image in the 3rd stanza, of the peeking priest. :) ~

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    1. EllaDecember 3, 2013 at 4:02 PM

      Yes, I did have a bit of fun with this one! Thank you~

      Delete
  16. MaryDecember 3, 2013 at 8:55 PM

    Your poem strikes me as quite mystical, Ella. Enjoyed the imagery.

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    1. EllaDecember 6, 2013 at 5:47 AM

      Thank you Mary! Can you imagine how people reacted to this invention?!

      Delete
  17. Susie ClevengerApril 14, 2014 at 8:48 PM

    Bewitching box...love that. It certainly must have been frightening when people first saw their image captured in anything other than a refection. Great write!!

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    1. EllaApril 18, 2014 at 6:34 AM

      Thank you Susie-I know right. I have seen documentaries where people feared the box stole their souls. I can't imagine either-we sure have come a long way. Thank you~

      Delete
  18. Kay L. DaviesApril 14, 2014 at 10:09 PM

    Glad to know you had some fun with this one, Ella. An interesting topic, especially in this century with everyone taking selfies and displaying them for all the world to see. I remember huge cameras, with the photographer beneath a black cloth, holding the flash so he could direct it where he wanted it. I wasn't frightened, but that may have been because said photographer was married to my godmother, so he was "uncle" to me, and I thought it was great fun.
    Take good care of yourself now, Ella.
    Luv, K

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    1. EllaApril 18, 2014 at 6:32 AM

      Kay, you always have this fun sensibility with you! See, it was there all along! Thank you, this made me smile~ My father was like this, part magician, part clown. Life was never dull and I suspect you are the same!
      A magician with words! Thank you for sharing with me~ Take Care of you ((hugs))

      Delete
  19. Kerry O'ConnorApril 15, 2014 at 8:45 AM

    Lovely form, so well employed here, Ella. Your subject is fascinating - I wonder what the religious elders of old would think of the inventions we live with today.

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    1. EllaApril 18, 2014 at 6:31 AM

      Thank you Kerry! I had so much fun, with this one~ Reading about their secret meetings and fascination with new ideas was a reflection of their passion to bring new ideas to life. There are many stories behind our inventions-the trail blazers of our lives. Thank you so much~

      Delete

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